Hand operated tool for forming lip on end of a wall of a duct



R. F. SWETT Nov. 18, 1958 HAND OPERATED TOOL FOR FORMING LIP ON END OF A WALL OF A DUCT Filed Oct. 3, 1957 United States PatentGfilice 2,860,536 Patented Nov. 18,. 1 958 HANDOPERATED TOOL FOR FORMING LIP ON END OF A WALL OF 'A DUCT;

Russell F. Swett, Longmeadow Mass assignor to Duc- Pac, Inc., EastLongmeadow, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application OctoherS, 1957, Serial No; 688,075

3 Glaims. (Cl. 81.15)

This invention relates to tools and is directed more particularly to hand tools for bending over the ends of the walls of sheet metal duct components to form lips.

The principal object of the invention is directed to the provision of a hand tool'which is constructed and arranged'to receive the end edge portion of a ductsection wall and to bend the same to form a lipon said portion.

Ductsystems for air-conditioning, heating and;the;1ike include duct sections and other components formed from sheet metal which sections are commonly connected together on the job. Connections between duct components embody a lip or lips formed on the.endsof the walls of the duct components. Normally said lips are formed by a machine which is brought to the job and is secured to such a support as may be available.

According to this invention, a novel tool is provided for forming lips on the walls of duct sections which is adapted for manual operation on the job. The tool is of small size, is light in weight, does not require securement to a support, and is easily and readily operable in the hands of the workman, on a duct section already installed, or on a component to be installed.

Not only is the tool of such dimensions and weight that it is readily usable but it is economical in cost so that a workman may have one as a part of his tool kit.

The above with other objects and advantages of the invention which subsequently will become apparent as the description proceeds reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particulwity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of the invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in accordance with one mode which I have devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will be understood however that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of the claims, without depart ing from the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and front elevational views respectively of a hand-tool embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different relative position; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective-view of the end-portion. of a ductv section. having. a. lip. formed on one of. the walls thereof by means of the tool of the invention.

Referring now to thedrawings more in detail, the novel features of the: tool of theinvention will befully described.

In describing the tool, itwill beunderstood. thesections or lengths of sheet metalductmaterialand components are commonly rectangular in crosssection, and of various dimensions with opposite. and adjacent walls. The tool of the invention is constructed and. arranged to operate on the ends of the walls of .asection'or component, and to form. such an endintoa lip.

An elongated rigid support'or. frame 2 is provided which hasangularly; disposed end. portions such as 4.

An elongated bender. 6.is disposed between the ends 4 of.the..fram e,..and includes anelongated plate 8 secured to-a spacing.rib 10. extending. longitudinally of.a longitudinally extending body member 12'; The parts maybe securedby rivets,.screws or. the.like, indicated by 14-; The parts are arranged to provide longitudinal lower and upper. slots. 16 and 18 along lower and upper edges of the bender for receiving theend. edge of the wall of a duct section or.other component.

Pivot.scr'ews.-20. are in threaded engagement with the end. portions .4 of the frame, and'are receivable in sockets 22' in opposite ends of the body 12 adjacent the ends of lower slot 16 or in other sockets 24 in the ends of said body adjacent the ends of the upper slot 18. Nuts 26 are provided for locking the screws in place.

The slot 18 is of greater depth or width than the slot 16 for forming a lip on a duct wall of greater transverse width than would be made by the slot 16.

Manually engageable handle like members 30 and 32 are provided, and are connected to the body and frame by thumb screws 34 and 36. The members 30 and 32 are shown as extending along the body and frame. The screws may be loosened, and then the members 30 and 32 may be swung right-angularly relative to the body and frame. The member 30 may be grasped in one hand and the member 32 in the other so that the bender may be swung clockwise from the position of Fig. 3, to the position of Fig. 4 in the operation of the tool.

The end edge of a wall 40 of a duct is shown in the slot 16 of the bender in Fig. 3. As the bender is swung clockwise on the pivot screws 20 to the position shown in Fig. 4, a lip such as shown at L, is formed on the wall portion 40.

An end portion of a duct section having the wall 40 is shown at D in Fig. 5. The end of the wall 40 thereof has been formed with a lip L by means of the tool.

Duct sections are made in what may be called standard dimensions. That is, the walls are of standard widths. To accommodate the ends of the walls of a section adjacent to the wall on which a lip is to be formed, the frame along its lower edge and the edges of the body of the bender are provided with longitudinally spaced slots indicated by 44.

Such a combination of slots will be employed with reference to a particular duct section as will accommodate and receive the edges of walls adjacent the wall on which a lip is to be formed. Such slots will be employed as would receive the opposite walls 41 of the duct section D.

By loosening the screws, the bender may be reversed so that the upper wider slot 18 for a wider lip may be used. In such a case the inner ends of the screws 20 will engage in the sockets 24 of the body.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully reveal the gist of my invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the 3 standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of'the following claims.

What it is desired to claim' and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A hand tool for turning over the end of the wall of a sheet metal duct section to form a lip, an elongated frame having opposite ends, an elongated former having opposite ends swingably connected to said opposite ends of the frame for swinging between a position to receive the end of a duct wall and a lip forming position, said former being provided with an elongated slot along an edge thereof to receive the edge of a duct wall in the receiving position thereof and adapted to cooperate with said frame to form a lip on said edge as the former swings to lip forming position, adjacent edges of said former and frame being provided with longitudinally spaced slots to receive the edges of the walls of a duct adjacent to the wall thereof on which a lip is to be formed, and handle means positionable for manual engagement for swinging said former relative to said frame.

2. A hand tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said former is provided with edge receiving slots of difierent depths on opposite edges thereof and being reversible for forming lips of dilferent transverse widths.

3. A hand tool for forming a lip on end edge of the wall of a sheet metal duct component having adjacent walls comprising in combination, an elongated frame having upper and lower longitudinal edges and opposite end portions, said end portions provided with aligned pivot means, an elongated former having parallel opposite longitudinal edges and provided in opposite ends with pairs of upper and lower pivot sockets in which said pivot means is receivable, whereby said former may be swingably mounted relative to said frame with either longitudinal edge thereof adjacent the lower edge of the frame for swinging of the former from edge receiving to lip forming position, said former being provided with opposed slots along the parallel edges thereof, either one of which for receiving the end edge of a duct component and being arranged to cooperate with the lower edge of the frame to form a lip thereon as the former swings to lip forming position, the lower edge of said frame and the parallel edges of said former being provided with longitudinally spaced slots for receiving the opposite walls of a duct component adjacent to the wall thereof on the end edge of which a lip is to be formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,420,731 Mull June 27, 1922 2,255,368 Smith Sept. 9, 1941 2,268,628 Sivszko Jan. 6, 1942 2,637,292 George May 5, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 62,334 Sweden Feb. 8, 1927 

